1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to conveyor and packaging machinery. More specifically, the present invention comprises a device utilizing a non-circular or non-concentric rotating bar or bars to agitate a container and its contents for settling and/or mixing the contents in the container or in packaging within the container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Containers for packaging and shipping various goods are generally sized to be as small as possible while still being capable of carrying or holding the required amount of product therein, in order to have the smallest practicable exterior dimensions for the container for maximizing shipping efficiency. In many instances, the product is not placed efficiently within the container during processing and packing, which results in the container either being underweight, or overflowing if sufficient product has been placed therein. This is particularly true of loose bagged articles, such as individual serving sizes of bagged goods such as potato chips, individual size and larger bags of individual candies, etc., as well as some fresh and frozen fruit and vegetable products and frozen poultry, meat, and fish products which may be packed loosely within a container.
In other instances, two or more varieties of a product may be placed in individual packages or in larger containers, e.g., different types or flavors of candies, snack foods, etc. The different varieties may not be well mixed as they are dumped into the packaging or container by means of conveyors and/or delivery chutes during the packaging operation.
This has led to the development of agitation or vibration devices for shaking, vibrating, and/or agitating the container in order to settle the contents therein. Numerous such devices have been developed in the past, utilizing various principles of operation. One common principle used in such vibrator devices is the eccentric mass, wherein a rotary shaft having an eccentric mass thereon produces a vibration or shaking as it rotates. The problems with this type of device are (1) the eccentric loads placed upon the rest of the structure, which may lead to damage to the structure or alternatively require a considerably heavier and more costly machine; and (2) the inability of such a device to produce a very slow oscillation of the product, due to the very low momentum of the offset mass at very low operating speeds.
Another principle used in vibration producing machines is that of the reciprocating mechanism, in which an arm or rod is reciprocated by an eccentric wheel or linearly reciprocating actuator (hydraulic strut, etc.). The mass may or may not be counterbalanced, as the linear motion of the end of the reciprocating arm is the primary producer of the vibratory or shaking action. While this principle of operation may be used to produce relatively slow movement of the subject container or article, it requires a relatively complex cyclical mechanism to carry out the operation.
The present inventors are aware of various vibratory and/or oscillating devices developed in the past. An example of such may be found in Japanese Patent No. 63-287,539, published on Nov. 24, 1988. According to the drawings and English abstract, this mechanism produces a rocking action to agitate a fluid contained within a cylinder captured between opposed anchors. No further detail is apparent regarding the principle of operation.
Another example of a vibration- or oscillation-producing machine is found in Japanese Patent No. 09-267,802 published on Oct. 14, 1997. This device comprises a machine installed beneath the edge of a truck loading dock or the like, which clamps to the lifting or anchoring pockets of a semitrailer supported shipping container. The device utilizes eccentric weights spun by large electric motors to shake and vibrate the container and its load. The problems with the eccentric mass principle of vibration production have been noted further above.
Thus, an agitation machine solving the aforementioned problems is desired.